By Bavoriat Clara
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), has warned that the widespread availability of alcohol in sachets and small PET bottles is fueling underage drinking in Nigeria.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, raised the concern during a joint press briefing in Abuja, describing alcohol use among youths as a growing public health challenge.
She said studies have shown a rapid increase in alcohol availability, production, importation and consumption across age groups in the country, noting that easy access remains a major factor driving use among minors.
Professor Adeyeye disclosed that a 2021 national survey conducted by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) in collaboration with NAFDAC revealed troubling trends in underage alcohol use.
The survey, carried out by Research and Data Solutions Limited between June and August 2021, involved 1,788 respondents across six states representing the country’s six geo-political zones.
According to the findings, 54.3 percent of minors and underaged persons purchase alcohol by themselves, while 49.9 percent obtain it from friends and relatives. The report also showed that 45.9 percent access alcohol at social gatherings and 21.7 percent from parents’ homes.
The data indicated that nearly half of underage consumers prefer sachet and small PET bottle alcohol. Among those who buy drinks themselves, 47.2 percent of minors and 48.8 percent of underaged persons purchase sachet alcohol, while 41.2 percent of minors and 47.2 percent of underaged persons buy PET bottles.
On consumption frequency, the survey showed that most underaged drinkers consume alcohol occasionally, with 63.2 percent of minors and 54.0 percent of underaged persons falling into this category. However, 9.3 percent of minors and 25.2 percent of underaged persons drink daily.
The report further revealed that 2.5 percent of minors and 11.7 percent of underaged children have engaged in binge drinking, with the highest prevalence recorded in Gombe, the Federal Capital Territory and Anambra State.
Professor Adeyeye identified peer pressure as the leading driver of underage drinking, followed by influence from parents and relatives, personal choice, and emotional distress.
She warned that underage alcohol consumption poses serious health risks, including impaired brain development, alcohol poisoning, liver and kidney damage, mental health disorders, addiction, poor academic performance, risky sexual behaviour and increased involvement in violence and road crashes.
The NAFDAC boss said the findings reinforce Senate resolutions of November 6, 2025, which called for strict enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol and alcoholic drinks in bottles smaller than 200 millilitres.
She added that NAFDAC and NOA are intensifying nationwide sensitization campaigns to curb underage drinking and protect public health.
NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the health of the nation.
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